Portable tent



June 22 1926.

P. J. BELANGER PORTABLE TENT Filed 'Dec. 15 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q IN VENTOR 1 1/1554 141x523 ATTORNEYS June 22 1926.

P. J. BELANG ER PORTABLE TENT Filed Dec. 15. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mg 4 W 3 p m T WITNESSES A TTORNE VS Patented June 22, 1926.

PAUL J. BELANGER, F LAKE CZTY,

MINNESOTA.

ronTABLE TENT.

Application filed December The present invention relates to sleeping devices. and it pertains more particularly to a tent of the portable type and adapted primarily. for. use in connection with vehicles such as automobiles andthe like.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to providean enclosure constituting a portable sleepin appliance.

It is-a further object of the invention to construct the; frame of the sleeping appliance in such amanner that the same may be disassembled and folded into compact space making it possible totransport the same conveniently upon the running boards of motor vehicles.

It. is a further. object of the invention to construct;the device in such a manner that the bed.- is elevated with respect to the ground or other support upon which the device is setup.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means whereby the supports of the device are capable of independent vertical adjustment in order to adapt the device to use on ground or thelike of an uneven nature.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means-whereby clothing and similar articles may be stored when not in use,

It is a still further. object of the invention to construct a device of this character in such a manner that the same occupies relatively little space when set up in operative position.

lVith the above and other objects in view. reference ishad to the accompanyingdrawings. in which Ti e l is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention l ig. 2 is a View in side elevation showing the manner of use;

Fin. 3 is a vien in side elevation showing the device with one of the curtains roll d up l2. 4; is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44-' of Fig. 2';

Fig. 5 is a detail-sectional view taken on the line'55 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken onv the -1inez616;0f Fig. 1';

Fig. 7isia;d'etail horizontal sectional 'iew taken on thexline'77 ofFig. 1;

Serial No. 880,912.

netitvts uiper. edge for a purpose to be her A (:lescribed.

Each of the side rails 11 compr ers 13 and connected together by hinges 15 to permit of the sections folding one upon the other when the frame is in knock-down concition. Secured to the outer face of each of themembers l3 and l t constituting the side railsand at the ends thereof, are metallic plates 16. The upper end of each of these metallic plates extends beyond the'top edge of its respective member of the side rail, as shown at 17, and the lower end of each ofthese plates extends below the lower edge of itsresnective member of the side rails, as shownat 1S. Secured to the inner facev of each of the members of the side rails, there is. an angular plate 19, the purpose of which will he hereinafterdescribed.-

By reference to Fig. 6, itwill. be noted that the freeend of each of the members of the side rails is notched out; as at and the plates 16 heretofore mentioned are correspondingly notched, as at 21. The end rails 10 have each of their ends. provided with a SClE-W-illll'GZldGCl recess 22 and adapted to pass through the notches 20 and 21 heretofore mentioned and into engagement with the recesses'22 of the end members 10, there is a thread bolt 23 having a knurled head 2 By this construction it is apparent that when the end rails and the side rails are secured together by the bolts 23, a rectangular frame is formed it bei 1g understood that the rails 10 each abut one'of the flanges of the angular platesl9 carried by the side rails at each end of said members 10, in order to limit the movement of the rails 10 inwardly of theside rails.

Carried by each end of each ofthe end rails 1.0 there isapivoted lever and these pivoted levers 25 are. adapted to. engage their respective angle irons 19 to relieve the bolt 23 of a strain and prevent movement of the end rails 10 in a direction longitudinally of the side rails of the frame.

Adapted to be received within the notches 12 heretofore mentioned in the end rails 10, there is a longitudinally extending center brace 26 hinged at its middle, as at 27. In order to strengthen this center brace 26, side plates 28 are secured to one of the members, as at 29, and overlapping the other member, as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 7, the center brace 26 is provided on each of its ends with an L-plate 30, which engages the outer face of the end rails 10, as designated by the reference numeral 31 and shown in Figs. 1 and 7.

In order to prevent breaking of the side rails 11 at their hinged point, a lock in the form of a lever 32 is pivotally connected as at 33 to a bracket 34. These brackets 34 are carried by the members 14, it being understood that there is one for each side rail. The levers 32 extend across the joint between the members 13 and 14, and each lever has a hooked end 35 adapted to be received within a hooked member 36. To limit the movement of the lever 32 about its pivotal point, there is a bracket or stop 37.

Extending transversely of the frame, there is a brace 38, and such brace 38 is supported at its ends in depending brackets 39 carried by the side members, and at this point additional braces 40 are employed. This brace'38 carries intermediate of its ends, a block 41, upon which the longitudinally extending brace 26 heretofore men tioned is adapted to rest, and projecting upwardly from said transversely; extending brace 38 and into engagement with the longitudinally extending brace 26 there are two brackets 44. This construction is more clearly shown in Fig. 9.

The rectangular frame is supported at one end by, two legs 45. These legs are secured at their upper end to the depending portion 18 of the metallic plates 16 heretofore mentioned, as at 46, it being understood that there is one leg secured to each of the plates 16 on one end of the frame. These leg members 45 extend downwardly into a metallic foot member 47, and said metallic foot member 47 has an open side 48. One of the side edges of the open side 48 is notched as at 49, and carried by the leg there is a lever 50 adapted to engage with these notches in order to determine the height at which the legs will be adjusted relative to their respective foot members and thus determine the height of the end of the frame to which said legs are attached. Pivotallyconnected as at 53 to each of the foot members 47, there is a brace 51, which is attached to its respective end member as at 52. Pivotally connected as at 54 to each of the legs 45 there is a brace 55, each of which is pivoted at its upper end, as at 56, to its respective member 13. This brace broken and pivotally connected in its center as at 57. By this construction it will be noted that the foot members 47 are foldable with the end rails 10 and the leg members 45 are foldable with their respective side rails when the legs are detached from the frame and the foot members 47 removed therefrom.

The opposite end of the frame is adapted to be supported from a bumper, runningboard, or other similar support, and in order to provide for its support, a lever is pivotally mounted as at 61 to each of the members 14 of the sides of the frame, a strap 62 forming the means for pivotally connecting said levers to their respective members 14. The free end of each of these levers is notched as at 63 to receive an automobile bumper, designated by the reference character A in Fig. 2. Pivotally connected as at 64, there is a prop or supporting lever 65, which is notched as at 66, and such notches are adapted to receive a pin 67 carried by the respective levers 60. By this construction it is apparent that one end of the frame may be adjusted independently of the other end and its height determined by the notch 66 in each prop engaged with the pin 67 in its respective lever 60.

lvlounted at each corner of the frame and extending vertically therefrom there is a corner post 70. The lower end of each of these corner posts is connected to the projection 17 of its respective plate 16 as at 7].. Connecting each of these corner posts with the side rails, there is a prop comprising two members 72 and 73 pivotally connected as at 74 and pivoted to the side rails as at 75 and to the corner posts as at '76. Connected to the corner posts 70 as at 77 there are rigid braces 78, the lower ends of which are connected to the end rails 10 as" at 7 9. By this construction the corner posts are rigidly secured in position upon the frame. The upper end of each of these corner posts is bifurcated to form two projecting members 80. Connecting the tops of the corner posts are side members 81 comprising two members hingedly secured as at 82, there being a metallic plate 83 adapted to bridge the hinge to prevent accidental breaking of the hinge joint between the members 81. Each of these side members is provided on its end with a strap 84, and such straps are each adapted to receive one of the projections to retain the side members in place on the tops of the posts and connect the ends thereof. End members 85 are employed, and such end members 85 are rigid and provided on their ends with straps 86 adapted to receive the projections 80 on the tops of the posts in order to prevent lateral movement of the upper ends of the corner posts '70, it being iniderstood thatv the side braces heretofore mentioned prevent movement of the upper ends of the corner posts in a longitudinal direction.

The reference numeral designates a 'idge pole, and such ridge pole comprises two secti ns hinged together as at 91 and the hinge is adapted to be bridged by a plate 92 for preventing accidental breaking of the hinged joint. Carried by this ridge pole and spaced with respect thereto there is a metallic member 93 which forms a garment hanger. This ridge pole 90 is supported by vertical standards 9% and such standards 9st are supported upon the end members 85. The end members are provided with pins 86 which project into recesses 87 in the standards t l, as more clearly shown in Fig. The lower end of each of these standards 9 1- is provided with plates 96 adapted to engage the inner and outer faces of the end members 85, and such end members are provided with suitable guides 97 with which the plates engage to prevent a rocking movement of the standards and the ridge pole relative to the end members 85. The reference numeral 98 designates a pin or similar member, there being one of these for each of the vertical standards 94. These members 98 are secured to their respective standards 9% and are adapted to project through an opening 99 in their respective ends of the ridge pole 90, as shown in Fig. l. The side and end members and the longitudinal center brace are each provided with a plurality of studs or the like, 100, and these studs form the means for supporting bunk bottoms H in Fig. l which are secured hereto in any suitable manner.

The reference character B designates side curtains in Figs. 2, 3 and a, and such side curtains are adapted to be secured in position by means of studs 101 carried by the corner posts 70.

From the side braces 81 and extending over the ridge pole 90, is a canvas roof member D, such roof member being secured in any sui ible manner to the braces 81 such as clips, or the like, 81, and end members E of canvas are provided which are secured to the brace 85.

The side curtains B are adapted to be rolled upwardly as designated by the reference numeral F in Fig. 8, and are provided with windows or the like, G.

Secured in any suitable manner, as at 1.05. to one end of the upper longitudinal brace 51, there is a canvas shelf K extending across the transverse dimension of the frame, and such shelf forms a suitable stor age space for clothes or other articles when not in use.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a new and novel sleeping appliance of the knockdown port-w ble. ty e, which may be readily assembled. and disassembled, and which is capable of use in connection with ground or the like of. a. rough nature.

hat is claimed is 1. In a portable tent, a main frame having its side and end rails detachably securedtogether and provided at one end with adjustable legs and at the other end with vertically adjustable means for detachable connection with a vehicle and supporting said end from the vehicle, a second frame crunprising corner posts supported on and detachably secured to the main frame, sine and end rails detachably secured to the upper ends of the posts, a ridge pole detachably supported 011 and above the end rails of the second frame, and covering for the sides and top of the second frame.

2. In a portable tent, arectangular frame, a transverse brace having its ends secured to the side members of the frame and pr vided intermediate of its ends with a block on its upper face brackets secured to the brace and block and extending above said block, and a longitudinal brace resting on the block between the brackets and having its ends secured to the end members of the frame.

3. In a portable tent, a rectangular frame having its side and end rails detachably secured together, the side rails being formed of hinged sections, adjustable legs at one end of: the frame, vertically adjustable means carried by the other end of the frame for detachable connection with a vehicle and serving the sole support for said end of the frame corner posts supported on and detachably secured to the said frame, side and end rails detachably secured to the upper ends of the corner posts, the side rails being formed of hinged sections, standards de-- tachably secured to the last named end rails, and a ridge pole formed of hinged sections and detachably secured to the standards.

4. In a portable tent, rectangular frame having its side and end rails detachably secured together, the side rails being formed of hinged sections, longitudinal and transverse braces detachably secured to the end and side rails, the longitudinal brace being formed of hinged sections, adjustable legs at one end of the frame, vertically adjustable means at the other end of the frame for connecting and supporting said end from a vehicle, corner posts supported on and detachably secured to said frame, side and end rails detachably secured to the upper ends of the corner posts, the side rails being formed of hinged sections, standards dctachably secured to the last named end rails, and a ridge pole formed of hinged sections and detachably secured to the standards.

5. In a portable tent, a rectangular foldable frame, legs pivoted to fold on the side members of the frame and feet for the less pivoted to fold on the end members of the frame.

(3. in a portable tent, a rectangular foldable frame, legs pivoted to the frame to fold on the side members of the frame, feet adjustably mounted on the legs, and means for pivotally connecting the feet With the end members of the frame, whereby they may fold on said members.

7. In a portable tent, at foldable frame, pivoted and vertically adjustable legs at one end of the frame, and pivoted and vertie-ally adjustable means at the other end of the frame for engaging a part of a vehicle said means serving as the sole support of the said end of the frame.

8. In a portable tent, at foldable frame, pivoted legs at one end of the frame, vertically adjustable feet mounted on the legs, levers pivoted to the other end of the frame and having means at their ends for engaging a part of a vehicle, the frame and having adjustable engagement with said lovers.

PAUL J. BELANGER.

and bars pivoted to 

